BJP blames ‘Bangladeshi infiltration’ for unrest in Meghalaya's Garo Hills, backs tribal rights

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on March 13 blamed alleged “Bangladeshi infiltration” for the recent unrest in parts of Meghalaya’s Garo Hills and said it would stand firmly with indigenous tribal communities in the region.

Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad claimed the tension surrounding the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) election stemmed from attempts by infiltrators to contest polls meant exclusively for local tribals.

“The primary cause of this tension is the infiltration of Bangladeshis into the local tribal community, and their attempts to contest Garo Hills Autonomous District Council election,” Prasad said while addressing a press conference.

Violence broke out earlier this week in Meghalaya’s West Garo Hills district after protests by sections of the Garo community over alleged attempts by non-Garo candidates to file nominations for the GHADC polls. Two people were killed when police opened fire during clashes at Chibinang early Tuesday.

The unrest quickly spread across parts of the region, including Tura, with reports of arson, assaults on civilians and large gatherings. Authorities imposed curfew and deployed the Army to prevent further escalation.

Following the violence, the Meghalaya government postponed the GHADC elections that were scheduled for April 10.

Curfew restrictions in the affected districts were partially relaxed on Friday to allow residents to purchase essential items, officials said.

Prasad alleged that illegal immigrants were attempting to gain political access through “fraudulent” means. He said the GHADC is an autonomous body whose administration is vested “solely in local tribal members who possess a certificate of eligibility to contest elections”.

According to the BJP leader, infiltrators were adopting “a new strategy” by marrying local tribal women to obtain eligibility. “They marry local tribal women, only to divorce and separate from them later. Then armed with fraudulent certificates, they come forward to contest elections,” he alleged.

He cited the nomination of Ismatur Mominin, a former MLA from Phulbari and now associated with the Trinamool Congress (TMC), as an example in the ongoing controversy.

“The BJP stands firmly with the tribal communities of Garo Hills and will oppose every attempt to deprive them of their rights,” Prasad said.

He further claimed that the increasing presence of illegal infiltrators in Garo Hills was “altering” the region’s demography and affecting the rights of local tribals, including their land ownership, political representation and governance.

“The BJP outrightly condemns the conversion, misuse and exploitation of the rights of the tribals in the Garo Hills of Meghalaya,” he added.